There's Something I Have to Tell You
by MKRG
Summary: John walks through the gate and finds himself in the future with amnesia. Everything has changed for the better. Is it too good to be true or is something else going on here? Set after Season 4 opens. AU. SG1 makes an appearance. Mild Sheyla.
1. Chapter 1

AN: This was just an idea that popped into my head. I don't profess to be any sort of great author, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to share. This is set after the premiere of Season 4.

**Chapter 1**

"Good luck, everyone," called Dr. Weir. Teyla, Ronin, and Rodney entered the shining blue pool of liquid that filled the expanse of the Stargate.

Dr. Keller stopped John in his tracks. "Colonel Sheppard, don't forget about your physical therapy session. You need to report to the infirmary as soon as you return," she announced. The new head of medicine flashed John one of her smiles. He nodded and spun around toward the gate. He ignored the aches and pain that came from his recent ordeal with the Replicators.

John entered the Stargate, unaware that something extremely unsettling would happen on the other side. The familiar swirling blue and white lights of the wormhole surrounded his being. He sensed his body coming apart, molecule by molecule, as he zipped through.

A red light washed over him, but only for a split-second. "Strange," he thought. John felt his molecules come back together as he exited the wormhole. He walked through the Stargate, only to find himself in familiar surroundings. The control room.

"John?" a surprised voice called out. "John Sheppard?" The gate techs stood with their mouths gaping open. Rodney stepped forward, in his pajamas, looking haggard from a restless sleep.

John scanned the room. "McKay, what the hell are we doing back here? And since when do we wear pajamas on missions?"

His friend didn't acknowledge his questions. "Col. John Sheppard! You're alive!" Rodney screamed. He ran up to John and bear-hugged him.

John just stood there. "Rodney."

"I can't believe it!" McKay spun around to the techs. He yelled very quickly, "Find Dr. Weir. Get a medic up here. Quick, quick! Don't just stand there." The men ran to their consoles.

"Rodney."

"Oh, oh, oh, oh! Don't forget Teyla. Contact Teyla." A tech scrambled to dial-up the gate. The wormhole initiated sooner than John expected. Rodney pulled him out of the way of the vortex.

"Geez, McKay! What the hell is goin' on here?"

Rodney could only gawk at him with his goofy smile. "You're alive." He bear-hugged him again.

"Rodney, if you don't get off of me..."

"I know, I know. You'll shoot me. God, you don't know how much I missed you."

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"So, what are you saying? That John might have amnesia?" Dr. Weir clamored. She and Dr. Keller were in one of the offices of the infirmary. Only twenty minutes had passed since John returned through the gate.

"Yes. He still thinks the Wraith are a threat. I haven't had much of a chance to delve deeper, but I think Dr. Heightmeyer may want to step in for that part."

"Right. What about his physical health? Any anomalies?"

"Other than a sore shoulder and back, nothing. I took some blood and tissue samples to analyze for the Wraith toxin. If we find any increase since the last time we checked him, I'll administer the antidote right away. But I won't know until tomorrow morning." Dr. Keller stifled a yawn.

Dr. Weir placed a hand on her shoulder. "Get some sleep. It's been a long couple of months. I'll tell John to do the same."

The other doctor nodded in thanks. "He can return to his quarters if he likes. No reason to keep him here now." She excused herself and left.

Elizabeth peered through the glass at John, who was sitting on an infirmary bed. She expected to see him bloody and injured, but instead, he came back seemingly unscathed. Rodney was speaking at mach-speed about God-knows-what. It looked like John was getting a headache. She decided to save him before Rodney's banter did any more brain damage. "Rodney, I think John could use a rest."

McKay looked up. "Huh? Oh. Well, yes. Of course. I guess now that you're back we'll have plenty of time to catch up, won't we?" He smiled innocently at Sheppard. John stood up and patted Rodney on the shoulder. He mouthed a quiet 'thank you' to Weir as he began to walk out.

"Come by my office when you feel ready," she said in her most sympathetic voice. "There's a lot we need to discuss." John nodded in confirmation and left.

'Weird,' he thought. The Colonel wondered where the time went. Judging by everyone's reactions, he was gone long enough for them to worry. But where? And why couldn't he remember?

As John walked through the halls, Atlantis felt eerily different. The hall lights were dimmed, but of course, it was the middle of the night. There was something else. 'I can't quite put my finger on it.' The strange silence was unusual. John expected to see a marine on duty here and there, but saw no one.

He found his quarters and waved his hand over the door console to open it, like usual. The room was dark. From what he could tell, everything was in the same place. John placed his service pistol in the drawer next to the bed. He stripped down to his boxers and jumped in. "Something seriously weird is going on here." John thought back to Dr. Keller. Her hair had changed. Bags had formed under Elizabeth's eyes. And Rodney. What was wrong with Rodney? "What the hell happened to me?" He wondered where Teyla and Ronin were. Sleep began to overcome him.

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The Stargate began its usual dance of lights. Dr. Weir walked into the control room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "It's Teyla and her search party, ma'am," explained a tech.

"Deactivate the shield." The shimmering effect of the shield gave way to Teyla and three heavily clad marines. Months of stress had taken the beautiful glow out of her face. Teyla's shoulders slumped slightly.

"Elizabeth, you said you had urgent news." She braced herself for news of John's death.

Dr. Weir walked up and hugged Teyla. "He's alive."

Teyla's muscles loosened. "He's alive," she whispered, repeating the words. "Thank the Ancestors."

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An hour after John fell asleep, the door to his quarters opened quietly. The faint humming sound it created was enough to wake him. 'I thought I locked that door.' He sensed footsteps. Slow. Unsure. John silently grabbed his pistol out of the drawer. He shut his eyes and pretended to sleep.

The footsteps stopped at the side of the bed. He could hear the rustling of items, but without looking, he couldn't tell what they were. Then, the covers began to creep off of his body. His muscles tensed. 'Crap,' he thought.

Suddenly, John shot up with his pistol ready to shoot at his would-be attacker. He slammed the button for the lights. When they came on, all he saw was Teyla.

Her eyes lit up, then filled with tears. Joy? Fear, maybe? He wasn't sure. She held her hands up. Calmly, she spoke. "John, it's me. Put your weapon down."

"Oh. Teyla. I didn't know it was you." John relaxed his stance. He placed his pistol in the drawer. "I've been feeling a little weird since I got here."

Teyla gave him a slight smile and bowed her head. "I understand. I might feel the same way if I had been out there alone for so long." She walked over and hugged him, burying her head into his chest. John had to admit, this was much better than a Rodney McKay bear hug. "I have missed you greatly, John."

Before Sheppard could ask how she got into his quarters, Teyla did something rather unexpected. She kissed him. Hard. One hand cradled his head while another traveled down his chest as if it had done this a hundred times before. John began to return the kiss when he realized that this could only happen in his fantasy. Was this another illusion like the one on M5S-224?

John pulled back suddenly and grabbed his pistol again, aiming it at Teyla. "I knew something was up. This isn't real, is it?"

Teyla could not hide her surprise. "John, it's me. Of course this is real. Put your weapon down. I will not harm you."

"The Teyla I know would never come on to me like that. Now tell me where I really am, and who you really are!" He disabled the safety on his pistol. Teyla flinched at its sound.

She tried to remain calm. John had not aimed a weapon at her in a very long time. "John, I believe you are disoriented from your ordeal. I would not lie to you. You are in your quarters in Atlantis. With your wife."

"Wife?" John shook his head in disbelief. "Now that's a load of bull. You know damn well I'm not good at the whole marriage thing." He paused. "Or maybe, you don't. Who are you!" he demanded.

"How can you not remember me?" Teyla's normally calm face scrunched up and began to leak tears. "I just do not understand," she cried. She fell to her knees and covered her face. John was startled. Her reaction seemed genuine. Something told him this was no illusion.

"If you're my wife, then you should know some things about me that no one else knows. Things I wouldn't tell anybody."

Teyla wiped her tears with the back of her hand and looked him straight in the eye. "Yes. Like the day you got lost in the woods as a boy. You wet your pants because you were so scared." John's face cringed at the embarrassing memory. Teyla spent another five minutes listing all the private information about John that she knew. "...Or the mole that's on your..."

"Okay, okay." John finally lowered his weapon. "I believe you." He stared at her, trying to imagine what being Teyla Emmagen's husband was like. Nothing came to mind. His amnesia must have been blocking all those memories, good and bad. "I don't get it, Teyla. Last I remember, we were just good friends." The consequences of his amnesia were starting to become clear. "How much time have I really lost?"

"What Earth year do you think it is, John?"

"2007."

"Then you have lost five years." A single tear followed the path other tears had made down Teyla's cheek.

Jack collapsed on the bed. 'Five years?'


	2. Chapter 2

AN: This was just an idea that popped into my head. I don't profess to be any sort of great author, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to share. This is set after the premiere of Season 4.

**Chapter 2**

John awoke to the familiar sound of the ocean. He stared at Teyla, who had fallen asleep on a chair next to his bed. Sensing his discomfort, she chose not to share the bed with him that night. The secret crush he had for her churned his stomach. The Teyla he knew was so reserved, waiting for him to make the first move. This Teyla didn't hesitate at all.

John tried to imagine what could have happened to him. Had he been ambushed on some planet? Did something so terrible happen that it forced him to forget? He shuddered at the possibilities.

With these fears lingering in his mind, he got up and looked around the room. John realized how different it was. Teyla's personal affects were scattered about. A photo of the two of them stood proudly on a shelf.

"That was our wedding," she chimed in suddenly. He turned. It didn't take much to wake her.

"I just can't get over this whole marriage thing."

Teyla's eyes squinted, and her mouth formed a thin line. "You do not approve?" she questioned.

John knew a look like that could kill. His ex-wife used it on him often. He chose his words more carefully. "I just, uh, think this is all a little strange. Well, more than a little. You and I were never in a relationship, last I remember."

Her hard look transformed into one of annoyance. "John, upon some reflection, you will realize that there was always a special bond between us. More than you seem to realize." That last sentence trailed off. His memory loss made him revert back to his oblivious, younger self. It frustrated her just as it had before.

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Later that morning, John and Teyla joined Elizabeth, Rodney, and Dr. Heightmeyer in the briefing room. "Let me get this straight. The Wraith are gone?"

It was Rodney who clarified. "In a manner of speaking, yes. Most of the hive ships were destroyed in the final attack. Some Wraith still exist and terrorize a few planets on the edge of the galaxy. But they do not pose a direct threat to us."

"And Michael, too?" John asked, with a questioning look. The senior staff nodded. "So Lt. Ford is dead. The Replicators have disappeared. Lorne got a promotion. Hell, I got a promotion."

"That's correct, Colonel" Dr. Weir confirmed. She smiled at him. In John's most recent memory, he had just been promoted to Lt. Colonel.

"What about Ronin?" he asked.

"Hunting the last of the Wraith," Rodney exclaimed. A big smile covered his face, as if relief had flooded him. "I can happily say that Atlantis has been in 'peacetime' mode for about a year and a half."

John could not hide his skepticism. This was too good to be true. Elizabeth spoke up. "I know this is all a lot to take in, Colonel. Believe me, a lot has happened in the past five years. But we couldn't have gotten to where we are now without you."

"Yes," Teyla added. "And since you went missing three months ago, none of us knew how we would get along without you. Especially me." She squeezed his hand and smiled.

Everyone in Atlantis had volunteered to search for Sheppard. Teyla traveled to every world she knew, searching for a shroud of evidence that he had been there. She and the other search teams were able to follow a trail, but recently, it had simply gone cold. And now, suddenly, here he is. With a huge piece of him missing.

The psychologist tuned in, "I think now is a good time for Colonel Sheppard to take a break and absorb the information we just...

"Dr. Weir!" A voice interrupted her from the hallway. Dr. Keller rushed in. "You have to see this." She handed over a report pad. "His blood doesn't contain a trace of the toxin! His system is completely clean, as if he had never been infected in the first place."

"That's impossible..."

"Normally, I would think that _not_ being poisoned is a good thing," John commented. No one responded. "But what do I know?"

Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "John, this is going to sound crazy, but when the Wraith realized they were about to lose the war, some of their scientists developed a biological weapon. It was a desperate attempt to subdue all humans in the city and quickly take control of Atlantis. I can regretfully confirm that our very own retrovirus was the inspiration for it. They succeeded in killing about a third of our expedition before Dr. Keller could develop an antidote. You were infected. Small harmless remnants of the toxin have been in your system ever since. Or, they should be."

John snorted. "You're right. It does sound crazy."

Elizabeth turned to Dr. Keller. "Did you figure out how Colonel Sheppard's system was cleansed?"

"No. But I did compare yesterday's samples to some samples Dr. Carson took five years ago. They're identical." Dr. Weir's eyebrows shot up. Someone out there had a cure for the Wraith toxin, someone other than the Atlantis expedition. Someone advanced enough to become a powerful ally. "But I would like to run more tests, just to be sure I didn't miss anything." The doctor looked at John.

John stared back. It took him a few moments to realize that she meant _now_. He reluctantly stood up and followed her out of the briefing room.

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The buzzing of an alarm bell made Rodney stop cold. He checked his watch. It was 1:30 P.M. Butterflies rose up in his stomach. He had been anticipating this moment for days. He dropped everything and ran.

Rodney found himself in the control room, out of breath, staring at the Stargate as an incoming wormhole engaged. He was giddy, but would never show it. A figure began to pass through. Rodney's heart jumped.

Daniel Jackson walked through and Rodney's mouth hung open in disbelief. 'That's not her.' In that moment of disappointment, another figure began to materialize. This time, it was more feminine. His hope grew. But, a woman with dark hair appeared, holding the hand of a small child. No, it was just Vala Mal Doran.

McKay clung to hope for a few more seconds. No one else seemed to be coming. He turned around to return to one of his labs, disappointed. "At ease." He stopped. When he swung back around, he noticed all of the military personnel had stood to attention. And there, in the middle of the gateroom, was Samantha Carter. The butterflies came back.

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"Ouch." John looked down at the needle in his arm. "You would think with all this technology around us, you could come up with better ways to draw blood." The nurse simply smiled. When she finished, she gathered up her instruments and walked away.

Teyla joined John in the infirmary. She kissed him affectionately on the cheek. "Dr. Heightmeyer says you might be able to trigger your lost memories by immersing yourself in familiar surroundings. She suggested that we tour the city."

"If that's what it'll take." He stood up and offered Teyla his arm. It felt good to have her arm wrap around his. A jolt of excitement sped through him. In his last memories of Teyla, they had only begun to make this sort of friendly contact with each other. They began to walk slowly through the city.

They spent hours walking around. John didn't recognize most of the men he passed, who were supposedly under his command. But they all greeted him with more warmth and respect than he ever remembered getting. Teyla was patient, at first. But soon she began to grow tired of sharing him with the others.

The pair found themselves alone on one of the balconies overlooking the ocean. Teyla finished catching him up on all the major and minor events he had missed. The sunset danced over the horizon, turning the sky autumn shades of red and orange. She snuggled up to him as they looked out across the water. John reveled in her touch, her scent. He loved the way she felt in his arms and wondered why he had never held her like this before.

"John?" She looked up at him. 'God, her eyes are beautiful.' "I need to tell you something."

He gazed down at her, mesmerized by the way the sun's rays highlighted her face. Her caramel skin seemed to glisten. Her caring eyes gazed up at him in expectation. He could swear he was falling in love at that very moment. "Okay." He gently brushed a lock of hair out of her face.

"What I am about to share with you is not known to the others. Not even Elizabeth. I didn't want them to exclude me from the search for you."

The look on his face gave away his sudden worry. "No, no, John. This is a happy occasion." She smiled her sweet smile for him. "I am with child."

John froze. All he could do was stare at Teyla with a blank expression. Then slowly, the meaning of her words began to dawn on him. A child. A child with Teyla. He never knew he wanted one until now. John's hands shot up in the air. "WOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOO!" he yelled out over the ocean.

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Daniel looked up from his book. He stared at the empty ocean through the window of his quarters. "Vala, did you hear something?"

She yelled from the other room, "I can't hear anything with _your _son screaming like this. Will you come over here and help me, please?" Daniel put down the book and sighed. It was his turn to put his son down for a nap. 'Ah, the joy of fatherhood,' he thought sarcastically.

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Sam cut Rodney off mid-sentence. "What? What's wrong?" he asked.

"Shhhhh." She strained her ears to listen. "I thought I heard something... Never mind. It's gone."

"I didn't hear anything."

"I wonder why," she said dryly.

He stared at her for a moment. "Ha ha. Very funny. Anyway, as I was saying..." Rodney continued talking at lightning fast speed about the new time travel research he discovered in the Ancients' database.

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John and Teyla sat down in the mess hall at breakfast. The food was much more varied than John remembered. And he liked it. "What are we going to do today, now that Elizabeth has banned me from going off-world?"

"I thought we might take a jumper to the mainland. Perhaps the ride will help your memories."

A smile crept across his face. "Don't have to ask me twice." He raised a forkful of food to his mouth. A small boy, not more than 2 years old, ran into the hall. His high-pitched squeals indicated he was happily being chased. A vaguely familiar woman ran in after him. John stared. "Who's that?" Teyla turned to look at the boy.

John looked around. No one was paying attention to the child. "That is Dr. Jackson's son. He joins his father whenever Dr. Jackson is here to do research."

"Jackson. You mean Daniel Jackson? Of SG-1? He had a kid?" Teyla nodded in confirmation. "Time flies. I'm guessing that woman is his..." He whistled unconsciously, drawing an annoyed look from Teyla. He realized that the mother was Vala. THE Vala Mal Doran. One of the hottest women in the universe. A quick smack to his arm reminded him who he was currently with. "Oh. Sorry." Having a wife took some getting used to.

"Colonel Sheppard?"

"Colonel Carter." John stood up and shook her hand. "I heard you got promoted. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Colonel, but that was quite some time ago." She mentally kicked herself for forgetting that he didn't realize that. "So, I happened to see the report on your experience, or lack thereof, and I'm curious. If you don't mind."

"Please." John gestured for her to sit down.

"Your report says you might have seen a flash of red light on your last jump through the gate. Did you notice anything else?"

"Nothing. All I know is I ended up back here. I don't remember making it to the planet for the mission."

"The reason I'm asking, sir, is because all this sounds disturbingly familiar to me." Teyla raised an eyebrow. "You see, I had a similar experience myself. This must have been ten years ago, but I remember stepping through the gate on Earth with SG-1 and finding myself back in the control room like you did. But we had actually traveled back in time to 1969."

"Sounds cool." John chewed off a piece of toast.

"Well, in hindsight, yes. But, at the time, we were nearly disintegrated by a missile-test that was going on in the exact location that we gated to."

"Oh. Not so cool."

"Anyway, I checked the original mission report for the planet you were last traveling to in your memory. And I found a discrepancy."

"What kind?"

"It says here that you went missing for 20 minutes after you stepped through the Atlantis gate. Apparently, you never showed up on the other side." John dropped his fork. Sam went on. "Major Lorne and a team went looking for you around the perimeter of the gate while Dr. McKay scrambled at command to find out where the gate had actually sent you. Major Lorne wasn't far when he heard the Stargate re-engage and then heard a small explosion. He found you unconscious next to the MALP. You didn't remember a thing. Your 20 minutes missing were never accounted for."

John sat there absorbing the mouthful Sam had just given him. It was Teyla who finally responded. "What exactly are you saying, Colonel Carter?" A hard ball was forming in the pit of her stomach.

"Well this is just a theory, but I think I know why there are no Wraith toxins in Colonel Sheppard's blood. And why he's suffering from memory loss."

"Please, Dr., do tell."

"If the Stargate could be used to go _back_ in time, there's no reason it couldn't propel someone _forward_ in time as well. All you need is a solar flare to occur at the exact moment a wormhole is passing by a sun. John, I checked the records. There was a solar flare at the exact moment that you stepped through the gate."

He thought about it a moment. "You mean I might have traveled through time? Sweet," John said.

Teyla's concern had grown. She didn't want to believe what she was hearing. "Is there any way to prove it, Colonel Carter?"

"Actually, I think there is. Dr. McKay just discovered some research in the Ancient database about time travel. He also found a device that might be able to tell us if John really belongs to this point in time."

John stood up. "Well, then what are we waiting for? Let's go check it out."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: This was just an idea that popped into my head. I don't profess to be any sort of great author, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to share. This is set after the premiere of Season 4.

**Chapter 3**

Rodney stared at the readings on the monitor of the small device. "Hmmm." He tapped a few more buttons, then waved it in front of John. "Uh huh."

"Spill the beans, Rodney."

McKay shot him an annoyed look. "Just give me a moment to decipher these readings. These devices can be incredibly complex, you know." He stared at it a little longer. Then he waved it in front of Sam. "Ah ha."

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"Sheppard is giving off a completely different reading than the rest of us. Apparently, this little gem of a gizmo can detect a sort of time signature. It's only a matter of..." He stepped over to a wall console and started to input some data. A screen appeared in the middle of the lab. It seemed to show a jazzed up version of the timelines in Sheppard's old history books. "...figuring out from where in time Sheppard's signature belongs." Rodney used his finger to trace the lines until he found the spot that indicated "2007."

"Well, whadduyah know," Sheppard said.

Teyla was alarmed. "Can he be sent back?" she asked as calmly as possible.

Sam answered, "Well, he has to be. Otherwise, that mission report from the planet would change, not to mention the timeline. History as we know it could be altered in some drastic ways. Our current reality could cease to exist. We have to figure out a way to send him back."

"That is going to be next to impossible. In order to send him back in time, we need a wormhole and a solar flare. The wormhole is the easy part. The solar flare, however, is impossible to predict," Rodney argued. "And don't forget. That mission report states that John Sheppard comes back with absolutely no memory of what happened. How are we supposed to erase his memory on top of sending him back?"

Sam looked thoughtful. "I think I have a way." She was about to explain when Teyla spoke up first.

"I have a question." They looked to Teyla. "If this John is not the one from our time, then where is _our_ John Sheppard?"

Sam's face suddenly burned hot with guilt. Rodney looked sheepish. John scratched his head. In the excitement over 'Younger' John's time travel, they had almost forgotten their original problem. 'Older' John was still missing. Teyla's heart skipped a beat.

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She ran into their quarters and fell on the bed crying. She could not bear to get her husband back, only to lose him a second time. The endless searches. The tiring nights in the cold wilderness of distant planets. The threat of a new enemy or an old one like the Wraith looming over her head as she and her team traveled. All of that would have to begin again.

"Hey." She felt a warm hand on her shoulder. "Come here." John gathered her up in his arms. He had never seen her so distraught. She had never let her guard down like this in his experience. He wondered if the Teyla from his own time felt this way when he was in danger. He swore he would never let her feel this way again.

She couldn't hold her head up to face him. Instead she buried her head into his chest, letting the tears soak into his shirt. John had no words to offer her. All he could do was hold her and rock her, comforting her as best as he could. She held on tight, knowing she couldn't keep him forever.

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Col. Carter went back to Earth to retrieve the Goa'uld memory device from storage in the SGC. When she returned, she, Dr. McKay, and a whole host of scientists began working on a way to detect a solar flare as it was happening. They decided that whatever machine they came up with would have to be placed dangerously close to the sun in order for a warning to be sent to Atlantis in time. There was no way to know how long any of it would take.

Weeks passed. Teyla never told anyone but John that she was pregnant. Now that the searches had resumed, she wanted to leave without anyone stopping her. John was protective, but he knew going off-world would be the only way to find his future missing self. He was often left alone in his quarters, while countless teams were out searching. It was a wonder there was no real enemy to divide their resources. He was amazed at how dedicated these people were to his future self. He actually felt blessed.

When Teyla would return, she would be exhausted and weary. Her attitude toward John had changed. While she savored every moment with him, something inside told her that he wasn't really hers. It pained her to know that. John sensed that she was becoming distant. He wasn't sure if this was good or bad.

More time passed and Dr. Jackson's stay in Atlantis was now over. It had been 2 months since both he and John had arrived. Daniel scooped up his family and left without a whim. John found himself extremely jealous, not only of Daniel's child, but of the freedom he had to pass through the gate and know he would end up where he wanted to be. Home.

By this time, Teyla was beginning to show. She insisted on keeping the baby a secret. She began wearing her traditional Athosian garb to hide her belly.

A couple of botched attempts to send John home occurred. He had already memorized how to use the portable memory device Sam created for him. Turn it on. Enter a series of codes. Set the auto-destruct. Let it work its magic. No changes to the timeline. The future stays bright, sort of.

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"I am losing hope of ever finding him. Of finding you." Teyla's eyes welled up with more tears. The rays of the sunset glinted on the single tear that rolled down her cheek. They were both standing on the balcony where she had confessed her pregnancy to him.

He gently wiped away the tear with his finger. "If I were him... er... and I am... I would be doing everything I can to stay alive and find my way back to you. If my future self loves you as much as you love him, then that's almost a guarantee."

She smiled briefly at his attempt to make her feel better. "I know," was all she could say.

"Listen, there's something that I wanted to tell you." He inhaled sharply, preparing himself for what he was about to say. "I think I'm in..."

"Sheppard!" Rodney came on over his earpiece.

"What, McKay! I'm busy!"

"Sheppard! Hurry up and get to the gate room. Solar flare!" He had no choice but to run. He was very, very far from the control room. Teyla followed close behind. When he got there, Sam stood ready with the memory device, and Rodney had already activated the Stargate. Dr. Weir threw Sheppard his gear.

John ran toward the puddle, then stopped. He turned around to look at Teyla. He stared at her long enough for her to know what he had meant to say. She nodded, as if telling him that she knew and understood. The moment only lasted a second. John ran through the gate.

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The swirling blue and white. His molecules being separated and zipped through space. The peculiar flash of red. 'Third time's a charm,' he thought.

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The radio clicked. "Major Lorne, no sign of him yet, sir." It clicked again.

"Dammit, Sheppard, where'd ya go?" Major Lorne wandered further into the forest with a marine.

A familiar sound made him stop. The loud mechanical noises of the Stargate caught his attention. He turned back, but couldn't see it in clear view. He was already too far. "SGA-2 return to the gate. I'm hearing..." A small explosion interrupted the Major. He broke into a run.

From the tree line, he noticed the wormhole disengage. No sign of life. The MALP was still right where the team had left it. His radio clicked. "Sir, I think I see Colonel Sheppard!" He strained his eyes to see what his team-member saw. He hadn't noticed the boot hiding behind the MALP.

The team ran over, finding John flat on his back, next to the machine. Nearby, a small black patch of dirt remained from whatever had exploded. They kneeled down to him. "Colonel! Wake up! Wallis, dial the gate, let's get him home."

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"And you don't remember a thing?" Dr. Weir demanded of John.

"Nothing. It's weird losing 20 minutes of your life like that."

"I'm just glad we didn't lose you for longer than that." Something about her comment stirred up an emotion in John, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. He brushed it off. "Alright, Colonel, you're dismissed."

As John walked through the halls, he caught up with Teyla. "Colonel, are you alright?" She only looked slightly worried, but somehow John knew she wasn't letting on how upset she was.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Not even a scratch." He studied her for a moment. "How 'bout you? Are you okay?"

Teyla was surprised, but pleased, with his concern. "Yes, Colonel, I am fine now."

"Hey, you wanna go grab something to eat?" The words came out of his mouth before he even realized it. "Maybe we could grab our food to go, then hang out on one of the balconies."

She smiled. "I would love to." This was the first move she had been waiting for.

Later, the two of them ended up on the same balcony as in John's lost experience. They had enjoyed their time laughing and joking together, and were now watching the sunset over the water. "Teyla."

"Yes?"

"There's something I have to tell you..."

AN: If you made it all the way to here, then thanks for reading!


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